Designer Of The Week: Parle

For more than 50 years, Parle has believed that jewelry - and the materials from which it’s

crafted - should tell a story and connect to values like trust, love, commitment, and

family. In 1973, Frank Farnsworth started mining Idaho opal in Spencer, ID. He

fashioned the rough opal into gemstones, set the gems into simple jewelry pieces, and

ultimately built the foundation for Parlé, now a multi-generational, family-run jewelry

brand.

When Frank first attended the Tucson gem shows, he was introduced to Australian opal,

which was more readily available than Idaho opal and far surpassed it in terms of

quality. Thus he began cutting and selling Australian opal. Over time and out of

necessity, the company diversified its gemstone inventory to include sapphires, rubies,

emeralds, and much more. In 1991, we officially became Parlé.

In 2007, Frank’s son Jonathan joined the sales team. On sales trips, he would show off

jewelry designed by his wife Brecken, who was happily creating jewelry for herself. The

designs were so popular with retailers that a new direction naturally emerged. As

Brecken developed her blossoming design talents, she unearthed treasures from the

gem archive to create new pieces.

Brecken’s designs have established the commitment to innovation that’s become so

integral to our success. Today, we’re known throughout the industry for our thoughtful

approach to design, which balances artfulness with understated elegance as well as

gracefulness and sophistication. Our jewelry has earned prestigious accolades,

including JCK’s Jewelers’ Choice Awards 14 years in a row.